Researchers Discover Rare Fossil Of Large Marine Reptile
Headlines and Global News – July 17
Researchers from the University of Alabama have discovered the fossilized remains of a large marine reptile that reportedly dominated the seas 80 million years ago. Middle-school student Noah Traylor discovered the rare fossil during a University of Alabama expedition June 20. The fossil was later confirmed to be the neck vertebra of an elasmosaur, which is a subgroup of the late Cretaceous plesiosaurs. “Think Loch Ness monster,” said Dr. Dana Ehret, UA Museum paleontologist in a press release. “They have very large flippers for swimming and extremely long necks, consisting of up to about 70 neck vertebrae.” Elasmosaurid plesiosaurs are best known for their large size, with some measuring up to 45 feet in length. The creature became extinct at the end of Cretaceous, about 65.5 million years ago. Finding their fossils is rare and this is only the second time elasmosaurid specimen containing more than one or two bones has been found in Alabama. The first fossil discovered was in the late 1960s and had 22 vertebrae. “We find a lot of the more common fossils here, but this is a macropredator that is not normally found in Alabama,” Ehret said. “It’s really interesting because it gives us a bigger picture of what was happening in Alabama at that time.”…The bones of the fossil are currently being unwrapped and prepared in a paleontology lab. They will then be washed and scrubbed to remove loose sediments. Ehret revealed that it will take several weeks to prepare the bones properly…Once the specimen is ready, it will be displayed in UA’s Smith Hall.
Gadsden Times – July 17
Andalusia Star News – July 17
Seymour Tribune (Ind.) – July 17
Nature World News – July 17
Springfield News-Sun (Ohio) – July 17
The Republic (Columbus, Ind.) – July 17
Teenagers study potential of engineering education
Tuscaloosa News – July 18
High school student Logan Mills of Camby, Ind., thinks she wants to get a chemical engineering degree, then go to medical school. But to make sure an engineering degree and the University of Alabama are right for her, the 17-year-old is spending a week on campus as part of Student Introduction to Engineering, an annual summer camp provided by UA’s College of Engineering for high school juniors and seniors interested in engineering. Mills is one of 138 students from across the country attending the program, which has three week-long sessions. This year, the dates are July 7-12, July 14-19 and July 21-26. The camp has been a regular offering since it was established in 1988, according to SITE co-director Gregory Singleton.
Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center in Tuscaloosa to hold grand opening Aug. 29
Al.com – July 17
The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center’s grand opening will take place Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m., the Tuscaloosa Arts Council announced today. The council says the center should serve as a dynamic addition to an already expanding downtown arts scene. It will be managed by the Arts Council and will house the Arts Council Gallery, the University of Alabama Gallery, Black Box Theatre, Grand Hall and office spaces. The space will offer a variety of events such as family programming and educational opportunities. The venue will also be available to rent for events such as performances, rehearsals, weddings or community meetings, according to the Arts Council … “The space will provide educational activities, performances and exhibits that will connect the community to the arts. The partnership with The University of Alabama will provide a unique opportunity and resource for the citizens of West Alabama. This space represents an investment in our community and in our future.” The University of Alabama Gallery offers a year-round schedule of exhibitions of artistic works, artifacts, textiles and more from permanent collections held by the University of Alabama as well as works by faculty, students, and guest artists and designers. “A Magic Carpet Ride: Rugs from the Collection of Dr. and Mrs. William T. Price” will be exhibited Aug. 29 through Oct. 24, 2013.
IU Bloomington historian to receive Indiana Authors Award
IU Newsroom (Indiana University) – July 17
Indiana University Bloomington…alumnus Michael Martone received the Indiana Authors National Award, which recognizes an author with Indiana ties whose work is known and read throughout the nation…Martone, a Fort Wayne native, is on the faculty at the University of Alabama. His most recent books are “Four for a Quarter,” “Not Normal, Illinois: Peculiar Fiction from the Flyover,” “Racing in Place: Collages, Fragments, Postcards, Ruins,” and “Double-wide,” his collected early stories.
Low-key election normal for Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa News – July 18
With the 2013 slate of municipal election candidates set, experts and amateurs alike are contributing to the conversation that will help decide the vote…Bill Stewart, a University of Alabama professor emeritus of political science who has followed Tuscaloosa politics for more than five decades, said the City Council election doesn’t stand to be too exciting as a whole. But that, he said, is normal for this city. “I’ve been in Tuscaloosa more than 50 years and, in my experience, Tuscaloosa municipal politics has been quiet and not as controversial as it’s been in other cities,” Stewart said.
Trayvon Martin: this generations’ Emmett Till? — Zimmerman verdict confirms broken judicial system for many Blacks
SMROnline – July 17
…despite last weekend’s jury verdict, the national NAACP has requested that the U.S. Justice Department resume its investigation in the Trayvon Martin murder case. After the not-guilty verdict was handed down last Saturday, over 100,000 persons signed within a 90-minute span an NAACP petition that the organization posted on its website … Former federal prosecutor Pamela Pierson, now a University of Alabama law professor, pointed out on NPR’s Tell Me More that race “permeates the case…from the very beginning.”
3 more Beaufort County students earn National Merit Scholarships
Island Packet (Beaufort, S.C.) – July 17
Three Beaufort County students have received National Merit Scholarships that are financed by their college. Reagan Palmer from Beaufort High School received a scholarship funded by the University of Alabama, where she plans to study genetics or medicine.
Alabama Parents Demand Banning of Books Because of Explicit Content: Research
Parent Herald – July 17
A study by the University of Alabama journalism students and newspaper The Anniston Star reveals that parental demand for banning of certain books is inexplicable and sometimes reeks of bias and restricted worldview. The research observed data of book challenge forms of past five year from 132 public schools in the state. Of these, nine reported challenges, 77 reported no challenges and 46 schools did not provide any information. It also found that the opposed books are moved to reference sections and students are allowed the access only if they have parental permission.
Huffington Post – July 17